The Flying Pig BBQ

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It's Heard on Hurd week, so we're back with another Food Truck Friday review, brought to you by our sponsor, Citizens Bank of Edmond. Each month, you can find this truck and a fleet of others at Heard on Hurd, which returns to downtown Edmond 6-10 p.m. June 16.

I guess this is excess month at I Ate Oklahoma. After reviews of Cajun King and Fat Sosas, it’s time to tackle a truck that doesn’t know the meaning of the word restraint.

To be fair, trucks aren’t usually verbose to begin with. They’re not alive, you see. Just machines. But the people working on food trucks are actually quite adept with words, like the Boss Hogg of The Flying Pig BBQ, Mr. David Greggs.

David probably does know the meaning of restraint, but he’s not terribly fond of using it on his truck. He’s created a menu of smoky delights so big they must legally be classified as de-heavies.

But size isn’t everything, say women who are just being nice. Super-sized portions are only good if the food is good. The only thing worse than bad food is a lot of it.

That’s not something you need worry about at The Flying Pig. David and his crew go just as wild on taste as they do on portions. These creations are like going to a barbecue on the Island of Dr. Moreau.

The Food

Much like The Flying Pig, we’re going big right from the start. Let’s talk about The B-52 ($12), so named, I’m guessing, because it is absolutely a gut bomb. I know it’s a sandwich, but for the life of me, I cannot fathom picking this thing up. I think you’re required to own a weight-lifting belt when you order it.

There’s a hoagie roll, filled with macaroni and cheese, because of course. Then they lay in one of a couple of things — a Flying Pig (a half hot link/half smoked sausage creation held together with bacon) or a Speedy Gonzales (a half jalapeno-cheddar sausage/half smoked sausage held together with bacon) — and either a layer of cheddar or Ghost Pepper jack cheese.

The B-52 "sandwich"

And then they pile on another meat (brisket or pulled pork). Then another layer of cheese. Even the menu describes it as a beast and I’m not one to argue with a menu. It’s everything all at once forever. Oh, and for another $2, they’ll double the meat. So you can get brisket and pulled pork on it all at once.

First off, I highly recommend you go with the Ghost Pepper jack cheese if you can handle a little kick. Secondly, don’t plan on any big meals later in the day. Or possibly the next day. Maybe schedule a nap. But you’ll definitely be having sweet dreams.

By the by, if you’re looking to experience either the Flying Pig or Speedy Gonzales without all of the surrounding ephemera, you can get one in a sandwich with a side for $10. I tried the smoky bbq beans and they are pretty amazing. There's a deep, dark, fruity sweetness from molasses that makes these different from any other baked beans I've had.

Now, I’m usually a rib man, because I was raised by good people who taught me how to love and be happy. Flying Pig uses St. Louis style pork ribs, which are cut from the belly of a pig and trimmed of some extra cartilage and the breast bone.

Can I get just one rib?

(Baby back ribs are cut from the top of the pig. They’re “baby” because of their size, not the age of the animal.)

A single meat plate (meat, two sides and bread) is $10.50. There’s a $2 premium for ordering ribs, but you should get them anyway because you get 3-4 ribs and ribs are the best. The rendered fat and cartilage transforms the meat into a sweet, supple substance that barely needs any coaxing to come away from the bone. You can slather them in barbecue sauce if you want, but I think they’re pretty spectacular without it.

I’ve long loved loaded potatoes at barbecue restaurants. Meat is wonderful, of course, but pairing it with carbs just makes good sense. The Flying Pig sells those in the colder months, but in spring and summer, they switch to the loaded avocado ($10.50). It’s the same idea, but an avocado (sans pit) is piled with pulled pork, slaw and a Sriracha mayo. The spice from the slaw and Sriracha really activate the fat of the pork and avocados in a delicious way.

Loaded avocado

It's almost healthy! Avocados are good for you. And pulled pork is good, if not good for you. Slaw, especially in the heat of summer, is a welcome respite. It doesn’t take more than a bite of this creamy contraption to understand why it’s one of their biggest sellers.

If you’re going to Heard on Hurd (and you should be going to Heard on Hurd), you can try a special treat. Once a month, The Flying Pig smokes big ol’ brontosaurus beef ribs ($16 per pound). If you’d like to eat like a caveman, this is your chance. I had one last month and immediately swooned at the deep, dark spice rub, flavorful crust and meltingly tender beef.

The only way to leave The Flying Pig hungry is if you didn’t order. The menu is pretty streamlined, but there’s plenty to choose from and all of it’s delicious. Now you know why people are lined up...and why you ought to be in the line, too.

Food Truck Friday reviews are brought to you by Citizens Bank of Edmond, which presents the monthly street festival, Heard on Hurd in Downtown Edmond. Heard on Hurd is an authentic block party style festival that features three dozen food trucks, a live concert with local artists and retail pop-up shops. Edmond has a special vibe of its own and Citizens Bank of Edmond provides an outlet for the Edmond community to shine. Heard on Hurd highlights the importance of supporting local eateries, artists and retailers. At the heart of Heard on Hurd is Citizens Bank of Edmond which is proud to provide the means for so many local thriving businesses.

The next Heard on Hurd is 6-10 p.m. June 16 at the corner of Broadway and Hurd in Edmond. For updates, follow @HeardonHurd on social media with hashtag #JointheHurd

About the Author

Founder and Eater-in-Chief of I Ate Oklahoma, Greg Elwell has been reviewing restaurants and writing about Oklahoma’s food culture for more than a decade. Where a normal person orders one meal, this guy gets three. He is almost certainly going to die young and those who love him most are fairly ambivalent about it. You can email Greg at greg@iateoklahoma.com.